“Even then, why should you speak?”

“There’s a conscience, and—­”

“Nonsense!  What business is it of yours?  Now look here; you think a good deal more about money than you do about your conscience.  I’ve got money, and I’m willing to pay well to keep out of trouble.”

“But I don’t want to get into any.”

“You won’t.  All you’ve got to do is to keep still.”

“Keep still about what, sir?”

“This sleep-walking to-night.”

“I won’t say a word, unless—­”

Nick hesitated.  He wished to give the doctor the impression that his innocence was by no means clear, and that the idea of shielding a murderer was not to be entertained.

His acting was evidently successful.

“Look here, Cleary,” said the doctor, “I don’t trust you.  There’s just one thing that will satisfy me.  You must get away.”

The doctor was trembling violently.  Evidently fear had taken possession of him.

“Get away?” asked Nick, as if surprised.

“Yes; I’m afraid of you.  You will talk.”

“But where shall I go?”

“Go to Australia,” said Dr. Jarvis, after a moment’s reflection.  “You have no family.  It makes no difference to you where you go, so long as you have money.”

“How much money?”

“In that safe,” said the doctor, pointing to a steel box in the corner, “there is enough to start you.  I have about five thousand dollars in cash there, and I will send ten times as much more after you.  Is that enough?”

“You take my breath away,” said Nick.  “When must I go?”

“At once; to-night.”

“But, Dr. Jarvis—­”

“Don’t talk.  Do it.  If fifty thousand dollars isn’t enough, you shall have a hundred thousand within six months.”

“How do I know that you will send it?”

“If I don’t, come back and denounce me.”

“But how will you explain my going?”

“I will say that you have gone to Europe for me as you did go three years ago.”

Nick shook his head.

“Dr. Jarvis,” said he, “I’ve worked for you twenty years, and I think as much of you as of any man living, but I can’t do this.”

“Why not?”

“I can’t shield a guilty man.”

“Nonsense, you idiot; I am as innocent as you are.”

“Then why do you send me away?  No, Dr. Jarvis, this is plain to me.  You killed him.”

“I killed him?” cried the doctor.

“Yes; but you are not a murderer at heart.  Some accident led to this.  Tell me how it happened, and if it is as I think, I will go.”

“I tell you I am innocent.  I had nothing to do with this man’s disappearance.”

Despite all Nick’s ingenuity, Dr. Jarvis stuck to this assertion.  There was nothing left for Nick, in the character of Cleary, except to pretend to believe it.

He resolved to accept the doctor’s bribe.  This was almost necessary, for in any case he would be obliged to remove Cleary.